Cushioned mounting for scraper elevating mechanism



' J. W. BUCKSTEAD .CUSHIQNED MOUNTING FOR SCRAPER ELEVATING mncrmusm Feb. 3, 1970 Filed Feb. 28, 1968 ill 4 W L WM United States Patent 3,492,745 CUSHIONED MOUNTING FOR SCRAPER ELEVATIN G MECHANISM John W. Buckstead, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee,

Filed Feb. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 709,112 Int. Cl. B60p N36 US. Cl. 378 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A resilient cushioning device is provided on each of the sidewalls of an elevating scraper bowl for supportingthe lower end of the elevating mechanism. The elevating mechanism is mounted to swing upwardly away from the cushioning device during loading operations and may drop with considerable impact against the cushioning devices which protect the sidewalls and elevating mechanism against damage.

This invention relates to cushioning devices for dampening the impact imposed on the sidewalls and elevator frame of a scraper when the elevating mechanism swings downwardly against stops on the scraper side walls.

The elevating mechanism for a scraper is commonly mounted on the scrapers sidewalls for pivotal movement about a transverse axis in a manner which permits the forward end of the elevating mechanism to float upwardly when loading material of various content. This permits relatively large boulders to be loaded into the scraper bowl without damage to the elevating mechanism. When a boulder has been loaded, the elevating mechanism may drop with considerable impact against the abutments normally provided on the scrapers sidewalls. Heretofore the common practice was to provide metal pads for receiving the impact load. In using such arrangement, it has been found that considerable damage is done to the abutting parts of the scrapers sidewall and elevating mechanism.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved mounting for the lower end of an elevating mechanism of a scraper.

It is a further object of this invention to provide resilient cushioning devices for receiving the load of a falling elevating mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a pair of cushioning devices on each of the sidewalls of a scraper which obviate the difficulties heretofore encountered.

'It is a further object of this invention to provide a cushioning device for the elevating mechanism of a scraper which is adjustable in height.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those familiar with the art when the following description is read with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an elevating type scraper in which the present invention is incorporated;

FIG. 2 is a top view of part of the scraper shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the lower end of the elevating mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section view of the cushioning device taken along line IVIV in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the elevating scraper 11 includes an elevating mechanism 12 having a frame 13 with rearwardly extending legs 14, 16 which are pivotally connected to the sidewalls 17, 18 of the scraper bowl 19 to permit upward swinging movement of the elevating 3,492,745 Patented Feb. 3, 1970 "ice mechanism about a transverse pivot axis 21. The scraper 11 is supported at its rear end by a pair of wheels 22, only one of which is shown, and is connected to a tractor, not shown, through a draft frame 23, the legs 24, 26 of which are pivotally connected to the side walls 17, 18 on a transverse pivot axis 27. The scraper bowl 19 is raised and lowered to and from an excavating position by a pair of hydraulic jacks 28, only one of which is shown.

The elevating mechanism includes an endless conveyor 31 which is driven by motor 32 through a change speed transmission 33 to assist in moving excavated material rearwardly into the bowl 19 from the cutting edge 34. The frame 13 of the elevating mechanismincludes a transverse support member 36 which has metal abutments or pads 37, 38 rigidly secured as by welding to its transversely opposite ends.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the abutments 37, 38 on transversely opposite sides of the elevating mechanism 12 abut the top portions of a pair of cushioning devices 41, 42 rigidly secured to the inside of the scraper sidewalls 17, 18, respectively. When a relatively large lump of earth or a boulder is loaded, the elevating mechanism 12 is free to float upwardly over such material. When such material has been loaded the elevating 'mechanism may suddenly drop causing the abutments 37, 38 to strike the cushioning devices 41, 42 with considerable impact. In order to absorb the impact load without injury to the elevating mechanism and scraper, I provide resilient cushioning means in the form of nonmetallic conical springs 46 between a metal impact cap portion 47 and a base portion 52 which is welded to the scrapers sidewalls. Construction of the cushioning devices 41, 42 is shown in FIG. 4 which shows device 41 in section.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rubber like conical springs 46 each include a pair of rings 61, 62 which are bonded to a metallic base 56. The number of springs 46 can be varied to obtain the desired cushioning effect; A conical bottom part 48 and a plurality of spacers 49 are interposed between the springs 46 and base portion 52. Varying the number of spacers permits the vertical'position of the cap portion 47 to be adjusted. The part 48 and spacers 49 are held in assembly by cap screws" 51. Fastening means, including a tension element or bolt 53, passes through central openings in the cap portion 47, springs 46, part 48, spacers 49 and base portions 52 to hold the cushioning device 41 in assembled condition. The nut 54 is initially adjusted on bolt 53 so that the assembled parts are firmly held in place. The distance which the lower end of the elevating mechanism 12 is held above the cutting edge 34 can be varied by adding or removing spacers 49, thus permitting the most efficient operation of the elevating mechanism in different soil conditions.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a new and useful shock absorbing support for the lower end of an elevating mechanism which absorbs its impact load without damage to either the elevating mechanism or the sidewalls of the scraper. It should be understood that the shock absorbing devices 41, 42 are identical in construction.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as fol lows:

1. In combination with a scraper having an endless conveyor type elevating mechanism pivotally supported on the sidewalls of the scraper bowl for vertical swinging movement about a transverse axis between raised and lowered positions, the combination comprising:

downwardly facing abutments on transversely opposite sides of said elevating mechanism disposed forwardly of said axis, and

a pair of shock absorbing devices on said sidewalls,

respectively, having upwardly facing cap portion in abutting relation to said abutments, respectively, base portions rigidly secured to said sidewalls,

respectively,

resilient cushioning means operatively interposed between said cap and base portions for cushioning the impact load imposed on said devices when said elevating mechanism swings downwardly thereagainst, the cap portion, base portion and resilient cushioning means of said devices being in alignment beneath said abutments, respectively,

rigid removable spacers interposed between said cushioning means and said base portions, respectively,

aligned openings in said portions, cushioning means and spacers, and

releasable fastening means maintaining said shock absorbing devices in assembly including a tension member in each device extending through said aligned openings thereof,

said abutments engaging said cap portions in said lowered position of said elevating mechanism and being disposed in upwardly spaced relation to said cap portions in said raised position of said elevating mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,984,022 5/1961 Johnson 378 3,048,934 8/1962 Hancock 378 3,161,280 12/1964 Creighton et a1. 378 3,210,868 10/19 5 Liess 378 15 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner EUGENE H. EICKHOLT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

